To All "Daria" Staffers Within Earshot...

...and the MTV bigwigs who ride herd on them. (Yes, we know you're here, too... ^_^)

I would like to request that the Powers That Be at MTV consider the possible release of "Daria" TV episodes on DVD.

As you know, there is a growing fanbase for the show which is willing to pay for quality, officially licensed merchandise from the show. One of the most coveted - and, presently, unavailable - items of this type has always been episodes of "Daria" on DVD, in their original form (including original music, openings, and endings), as well as the addition of other material (commentaries, production art, etc.) which could add value to these releases.

Presently there are two "Daria" VHS tapes available. Unfortunately, these volumes leave much to be desired in terms of collectability for the avid fan - much of the music has been changed (obviously to avoid royalty expenses), the openings and endings are missing, and the tapes are recorded in EP mode (which won't hold up to any degree of repeated viewings).

DVD is the format of the future for any serious TV show collector: it offers the opportunity to add ancillary materials to a product, it's durable, and it supports the high-quality production values used to make "Daria". Most "Daria" fans would be more than willing to pay a fair-market price for a quality DVD release.

If MTV is concerned about profitability, it seems to me that the "Daria" fanbase could support this type of release. From my experience, the typical "Daria" demographic skews higher in age, income, and willingness to spend disposable income on higher-priced items such as the proposed DVDs than the typical MTV viewer.

(If MTV is still concerned about fan support for this idea, they could test the waters by using a survey at the "Daria" MTV website - this tactic has worked well for the U.S. domestic anime industry to gauge interest in selected anime titles.)

I would like to take this opportunity to thank any MTV staffer who took the time to read this. Your support on our behalf would be much appreciated!

Brian

P.S. And to all the "Daria" fans who read this, please let MTV know you would support this effort, too! ^_^

Yes! This would indeed be *very* cool! I would pay for every single DVD until i had the entire set! =)

• joe

Brian Castleberry wrote:

joe wrote:

me too. of course, i'd probably want to get a dvd player eventually, too....

On Mon, 07 Aug 2000 03:30:53 GMT, joe wrote:

I'd be for it, but if and only if they throw in a set of Daria "Back Off" mudflaps. I know Tarvok would agree with me on that score. ;-)

crawling out of my burrow again, rich.

Jane: You're a twisted little cruller, ain't'cha?

On Mon, 07 Aug 2000 14:45:42 -0400, paperpusher wrote:

As cool as that would be, I would be without a truck to put it on. I have been out of that business, for various reasons, for several months now.

But, were I to buy a pickup truck (just might be my next vehicle, if I had the mudflaps to go with it ;p), mudflaps would be very cool. :)

On Thu, 10 Aug 2000 00:24:51 GMT, [email] (Daryl Sawyer) wrote:

Damn. Shows what I know. I've had more problems keeping up with this group of late. It's that darn Real Life. ;-) That, and the ungodly volume of messages on the MB. *Sigh* I sort of feel obligated to keep an eye on it, you know, since I promised to provide folks a haven when OD got temporarily FOXed, and now that tends to devour my on-line time. :P

I thought so too. ;-)

Well, I hope things are going well for you now.

rich.

Mr. O'Neill: Let's pledge to make Daria's dream a reality!

Daria: You mean the one where people walking down the street burst into flames?

Mr. O'Neill: The coffeehouse!

In my case this really doesn't hold up...I'm a mere eighteen and living at home right now, and this fall I'm moving to Chicago and will be without a DVD player for a bit (it's first on my list of "stuff I don't physically need but gotta buy", followed closely by a turntable for my collection of indie vinyl).

OTOH, I'm not a twelve year old girl buying lousy pop records, so I guess in this way I don't fit the MTV-key-demographic myself. ;)

Anyway...the thing with a series of Daria DVDs...they would be damn easy to do. You wouldn't need an assload of "special features"...just pack those episodes on a double-sided DVD disc. This would cut down on the number of over-all releases that would have to put out, and would keep it all nice and affordable. Hell, if need be, you could make them internet-order-only. Rhino Records does their so-far-great "Handmade" series like this and it's been a big success so far. Only you wouldn't have to make these "limited edition"...just have them turned in smaller batches to avoid loss, and as more orders come in, have more manufactured.

The big thing: getting those royalty fess together for the music. There, as they say, is the rub.

-nick reffuse

**can you find dilinger at the smithsonian or not?**

(cut the "crap" to email)

nick reffuse wrote:

Actually, I'd be okay with them making a 4-4-5 episode per season release schedule. It would help keep the unit costs below $30 per disc, and with online discounts a price as low as $20 could be possible.

I agree with that idea. If MTV is willing to do it, then you could pack more features on the discs without fear of "sticker shock" scaring off customers.

The DVDs wouldn't be worth it if the music was replaced as it was on the VHS tapes. (I'll repeat that for the benefit of MTV execs out there - if you make "Daria" DVDs, use the original music! The product will flop just like the VHS tapes did if you replace the music again!)

Brian

In article ,

here,

Count me in!

--Alisha

[email] wrote:

And me! Inevitably it'd be just region one I suppose <sigh>. Not that it matters very much these days.

I wonder if putting together some sort of electronic write in campaign to MTV would have any useful effect?

On Sun, 06 Aug 2000 22:08:16 -0500, Brian Castleberry wrote:

<snip proposal>

I know I'd buy it. Hell, I'd pay $15 per half-season, assuming they are assembled in chronological order and such That would come to quite a bit, but I'm *tired* of having to deal with the stupid VCR and the stupid people who mess with the settings while I'm away...

We'll probably have to wait until *after* the show goes off the air, but then, it'd never sell.

Arrgh... I hate video copyright procedure. While books are easy enough to find, video material (and video games, for that matter) dissappear from the realm of legality when they lose their profitability. And, in some cases, violaters *are* punished by the company which still exists.